Few car names stir the automotive soul more than Lotus. This iconic British sports car brand has been through some hard times in recent history but is now owned by a Chinese conglomerate who have injected new life into the old dog. The brand is fully back on track with a couple of fabulous sports cars, obviously; now there’s a family-sized SUV too; but this is no ordinary people carrier.
Retaining that sporting design synonymous with the brand, Lotus have engineered a real motoring gem and of course it’s electric. No wonder then that the car is called the Eletre. It’s brilliant. Okay, initially, it is only available in Left Hand Drive but a RHD version is coming in various specifications. In the meantime, here’s the latest on this rather spectacular car.
On The Outside
The exterior of the Eletre’s cab-forward design evolves the iconic design language of the mid-engine Lotus sports car into a hyper-SUV. This ‘carved by air’ design ethos as seen in the Evija hyper-car and Emira sports car is much more than skin deep. It seamlessly integrates a raft of active aerodynamic technologies which together enhance efficiency, performance and dynamics, and contribute to a drag coefficient of a slippery 0.26. Just above the leading edge are super-slim, technical light clusters which house the Daytime Running Lights and scrolling directional indicators. The full LED headlights, which use Matrix technology to permit constant high beam use without dazzling the vehicle in front, or oncoming traffic, are housed below, recessed and partially hidden. 22 or 23 inch wheels make up the ensemble.
One of the most significant features is the active front grille, we learn. An integral part of the Emira and Evija-inspired front end design, this comprises a row of seven individual apertures, each one featuring six triangular petals. These petals smoothly open and close on demand to meet the Eletre’s requirements for cooling airflow to the power-train’s electric motors and radiators and to the brakes.
Crucially, in colder markets, they can stay closed to retain heat. Unique to the high-performance Eletre R, if the driver selects Track Mode, the grille is always fully open, helping to ensure the vehicle can deliver sustained, high-performance driving and braking.
Another innovation is the Eletre’s active rear spoiler, packaged neatly into the tailgate. Working in combination with the distinctive split floating roof spoiler above it, the rear spoiler automatically adjusts between three positions, depending on vehicle speed, acceleration, braking and Drive Mode setting.
On The Inside
The Eletre has an interior like no Lotus before it. The luxurious and spacious cabin effortlessly fuses a performance-orientated, technical design with world-class infotainment and connectivity and a selection of the very finest materials and finishes which convey luxury, exclusivity and precision craftsmanship. As always these days, sustainability is part of the package as a whole.
The Eletre’s intelligent ‘Digital Cockpit’ uses cutting-edge technology to enhance the driving experience by combining beautifully rendered graphics, super-fast responses and intuitive operation. Lotus’s own label ‘Hyper OS’, an all-new operating system making its debut in Eletre, provides a seamless interactive experience that offers best-in-class performance and interactive feedback, putting the user – driver or passenger – in complete control says the company.
The specification includes dual chips for exceptional processing power, together with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and featuring real-time 3D animations and experiences. The best possible connectivity is ensured by 5G compatibility. Software-over-the-air capability ensures the Eletre’s Digital Cockpit is always up to date, and continuously improves over time as new functionality becomes available.
Another innovation is a virtual personal assistant so that customers can interact with the vehicle just by speaking: simply say “Hi Lotus, I’m cold”, for example, and the cabin temperature is adjusted accordingly, enabling drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. Imagine that: Talking about the weather to your car! Where will it end?
The central touchscreen is a slimline 15.1 inch HD OLED design that’s only 10mm thick. Able to display beautifully crisp, clear images, it offers exceptional clarity and a truly immersive experience for the driver. Navigation functionality includes EV Routing, EV Range Assistant and Predictive Routing. Beneath the touchscreen in the centre console is a wireless device charger to complement wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto2.
The front seat passenger has a high-definition touchscreen of their own, enabling them to control media playback and see information corresponding to voice control commands or receive prompts such as fasten seatbelt. In the rear, passengers can control climate control settings, seat adjustments, ambient lighting and media playback through a further HD touchscreen – an eight inch or nine inch deployable display for five-seat or four-seat configurations respectively. There’s a choice of sound systems too.
The 12.6-inch HD OLED instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is paired with a head-up display with augmented reality to help the driver keep their eyes on the road. By projecting graphics which help to convey key information such as navigation or advanced driver assistance system alerts over corresponding objects up ahead, the HUD can make it quicker and easier for the driver to understand what’s happening around them, reducing distraction and enhancing safety.
On The Road
The Eletre is equipped with a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems, all designed to enhance safety and make journeys more relaxing. To deliver this, 34 state-of-the-art sensors are used including four deployable LIDAR, six radar, seven 8MP HD cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. All together, they give the vehicle a true 360º view of the world around it. There’s a choice of driving modes to suit the conditions; this car can even go off-road.
Befitting its status as a hyper-SUV, Eletre’s propulsion system technology delivers the sort of performance expected from a driver-focused machine, together with the energy efficiency essential for long range and day-to-day usability. Packaged beneath the vehicle floor is a state-of-the-art, 800-volt, 112kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. Compared to conventional 400-volt systems, the 800-volt architecture reduces the operating current by half for the same power output.
The benefits for the owner are threefold: less weight because smaller diameter cables can be used in the wiring harnesses; enhanced power efficiency and improved thermal management as less heat is generated; and much faster charging, the latter being an important point.
Early testing has shown this car to be as quick as its appearance suggests. Thanks to all-wheel-drive, handling is great for a big SUV with little or no evidence of over- or understeer. This however depends larger on the driver! The Eletre and Eletre S can accelerate to 62mph in only 4.5 seconds and go on to a maximum speed of 160mph. Both can achieve an official combined range of up to 600km (373 miles). With an incredible 905hp and 985Nm, the Eletre R covers the benchmark sprint in just 2.95 seconds (watch Lamborghini’s disappear behind you) and can reach165mph, where allowed obviously.
There is much that is new about the Lotus Eletre. Whatever the doubts may be about EV’s in general there is no questioning the fact that this car takes the electric driving world a quantum leap forward. Get in touch with us and we’ll be delighted to help you import your next car from the UK to over 25 countries including Kenya, East Africa, New Zealand, the Caribbean and beyond. Don’t forget that exporting a VAT qualifying car means there is no UK VAT to pay when exported from the UK.
